Sundance '08

Greetings, loyal reader.

Today I shall opine on the annual craziness that grips the town that I call home...

So far, I've seen a former Friends cast member in town, and my wife's cousin thinks she shared an elevator with Andy Garcia. Other than that, the traffic is crazy, and the power downtown went out last night for about an hour downtown.

The only reason I know that is I saw it on Drudge... I avoid downtown during this festival. It's positively crazy.

Also, I hate to say it, but I've seen a bunch of "Sundance" Movies, and well, there's a reason they're independent... Some of them are good, a very few are great - most of them, however, "aren't for a large or mainstream audience".

"Aren't for a large or mainstream audience" is a REALLY nice way of saying that they suck. When they suck, I mean that a lot of them lack good writing, directing or acting, or even a cogent plot. Some of them are done for shock value. They just aren't very good movies, in my humble opinion. The Sundance experience is fun, however, when I have time in my life to waste four or five hours.

"But, Crazed American, those movies are two hours long!" you might say. The run time is indeed 2 hours, but the actual parking, walking to the venue, waiting in line, and return walk and trip - all make it add up. That is why the Crazed American will be attending the "Best of the Fest" both of the Audience Award and Jury Award films. I will see one, then the other.

Two reasons that I am doing this - 1) the Crazed American is still fascinated by acting and the art of film making, and I HOPE to be entertained; and 2) the festival gives the tickets away for free to locals.

Went and saw the Jury award winner, I think. To me it was a typical Sundance movie. Hell, to be honest, I don't even remember the title. Let's see - drug use (typically heroin) - check; prostitution - check; deception - check; murder - check; rape - check; utterly depressing - check; made me happy when the credits rolled - check; for the most part forgettable - check.

The Crazed American likes art films (sometimes). For me, I need to see a gripping story (writing) or top flight acting and direction (you can't have one without the other). I'll see a character piece if the acting and direction can carry me past a lacking story. Or if the story is really cool, then I'm there, as long as the director is worth his salt. To me films fall apart if one of the three legs of the drama stool is broken (writing, acting or directing). Weirdness for weirdness sake is cool for about 5 minutes.

Well, I am happy to state that Sundance is in the winding down phase. The first weekend is always the most crazy. Hollywood people running about, disrupting the peace of my little mountain town. It started on Thursday, so I've only got until next Monday. Can't say that it ain't fun, one of these years, I may have to take two weeks off of work, call up some old drama buddies and do the whole thing right...

Just not this year...

I promise film reviews of both of the "Best of Fest" Films after I see them.

Crazed American, out.